The pathologist's assessment of the histological grading of iron relates directly to the histology activity index and hepatic iron concentration. Serum measures of iron, total iron-binding capacity and ferritin can be used to monitor hepatic iron content more economically and simply than with hepatic iron concentration measurement on liver biopsy.

Recombinant factor VIIa could be used to obtain a clinically indicated liver biopsy in severely ill patients, who without this therapeutic agent, would either not be biopsied or, if biopsied, would require much longer hospitalization and the use of fresh-frozen plasma (with its risks of volume overload and infection).

A variety of biases determine and/or affect the radiologist's assessment of liver size but not of splenic size.

Objectives: To report a case of perinatal tuberculosis that appeared on the 21th day of life of an infant born to a mother with latent tuberculosis. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A preterm male infant was born by spontaneous vertex delivery at 33 weeks gestational age to a 33-year-old primiparous Philippine woman. The infant was well until the 21st day of life when he developed recurrent episodes of cyanosis and bradycardia. A chest radiograph showed infiltrates which were thought to be bacterial in origin. Blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid cultures were normal. Tracheal aspirate revealed acid-fast bacilli by Ziehl-Neelsen stain, later confirmed to be Mycobacterium tuberculosis by culture in Lowenstein-Jensen medium. The mother was later diagnosed as a case of tuberculosis with symptoms, signs and radiologic manifestation of hilar lymphadenopathy with mild pleural effusion and positive tuberculin skin test. Both infant and mother were treated with intravenous isoniazid, intravenous rifampicin, oral pyrazinamide, and intravenous pyridoxine. Both recovered. Conclusion: A preterm male infant perinatally acquired tuberculosis, most likely by inhalation of the bacteria during delivery. Both infant and mother responded well to antituberculous treatment.